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〃There's a lot more to me than meets the eye；〃 said Yellow。
〃As if that isn't enough；〃 Rand mented under his breath but loudly enough for Rook to hear。
〃All I see is an attractive woman in a rather slinky outfit；〃 said Scott。
〃Wrong on both counts；〃 Yellow answered him； walking back to the jeep。 〃I've got something to show you。 〃
A buzz of general puzzlement swept through the would…be team as Yellow sauntered off； especially when she turned her back to them and began to undo the rear buttons of her strapless top。
〃Hey； w…wait a minute；〃 Scott stammered in protest。 〃I appreciate your wanting to； er…show me； but don't think for a moment that's going to change my mind。。。〃
〃Is she going to do what I think she's going to do？〃 said Annie； gulping。
〃Sure looks that way；〃 Rook said in an interested way。
Yellow meanwhile had removed her top and tossed it into the open jeep。 She still had her back to them； long lavender hair falling all the way to the narrow band of her brassiere。
〃H…hey； now hold on！〃 Rand said with a desperate tone。
Lunk laughed。 〃Well； she's right about one thing…she's not wearin' no slinky outfit anymore。〃
Yellow turned to throw them a wink over her shoulder； then reached back the way only a woman can and unfastened the bra； letting it slip from her breasts。 She still had her back to them when she undid her trousers and let them fall。 The pink jeep concealed whatever treasures these moments might have held for the red…faced team。
〃Now what's she doing？〃 Lunk said as Dancer picked up a towel and began to scrub her face with it。
〃I don't know；〃 Scott responded sternly。 〃But I want an end to it right now； hear me； Yellow？ You can stop this little game； because we're not taking you with us； and that's final！〃
Then Yellow swung around to face them。
And something was wrong； very wrong； indeed。
〃Oh； no！〃 Rook screamed； and began to laugh hysterically。
〃Y…yellow Dancer？〃 Rand said tentatively。
Lunk； Kevin； and Spider drew in stunned but disappointed intakes of breath。 Annie was simply confused； Scott； wordless。 It was plain enough to see that Yellow Dancer was a man…a tall； rather hairless； lean and attractive man。
〃You can start by calling me Lancer；〃 he told his stunned audience； his voice deeper now。 〃I think the name suits me a little better。 So； I hope there are no further objections to my tagging along with you。〃
〃Well； I don't know。。。〃 Scott started to say。 Woman or cross…dresser； what was the difference？ he asked himself。 But looking down at Rook now； he began to have second thoughts about all of this。 Earth was a fascinating but bizarre place where women seemed to want to mix it up as much as the men。 So maybe there was a place for her； er； him。
Rand meanwhile was beside himself。 There were all those dreams of Yellow Dancer he had lived with for months…all those fantasies！ 〃It can't be！〃 he was saying。 〃How could you do this to me…your biggest fan？！〃
〃I wasn't exactly thinking about you； Rand；〃 Lancer said。
〃Yeah；〃 Rook chimed in。 〃Not like he was thinking about you！〃
Everyone laughed； except Lancer。 〃So how about it； Captain？ Do I make the team or not？〃
Scott and Lunk exchanged looks and shrugs。 〃Yes；〃 Scott said at last。 〃I guess you do。〃
CHAPTER SEVEN
Mom； who thrived on adversity； had met her perfect foil in Rand。 Fortunately for me； they eventually worked it through。
Maria Bartley…Rand； Flower of Life： Journey Beyond Protoculture
The team had been formed： Scott； Rand； Rook； Annie； Lunk； and Lancer （although Scott wondered if the singer shouldn't be counted twice）。 None of them promised to acpany Scott all the way to Reflex Point…if such a place actually existed； it was simply a loose agreement among six people headed in the same general direction； each with a separate purpose in mind。 Scott wanted to see the Invid defeated； at the very least he hoped to link up with other downed fighters from the Mars Division and establish an organized resistance。 Lunk was searching for a redemption of sorts； Annie； for a family。 But the aims of the others were less clear…cut； their pasts remained unrevealed； their motives somewhat suspect。 Nevertheless； Scott had himself a team。
All he needed now was an adequate plan。
The present one wasn't working well at all。 Rather than risk calling attention to their latest acquisition…the Alpha Fighter Lunk had so reverently maintained after his rather hasty departure from the Army of the Southern Cross…Scott and Lancer had flown the mecha north under the cover of night and secluded it along the river that marked the border of the neighboring territory。 Lancer was to remain with the Veritech while Scott rode back to town on his Cyclone to collect the others。 In the meantime； Lunk and Annie would be in charge of gathering up what they could in the way of supplies and foodstuffs。 Rand and Rook would secure a safe route out for the loaded APC。
Things went smoothly enough at first； Lunk had seen to his assignment； and Scott rendezvoused with the APC/Cyclone convoy on schedule。 They had begun their trek north and entered the highlands when the Invid appeared。 It hadn't paid to leave enemies the likes of Ringo behind。。。
Scott held the lead up the rugged mountain road；。 Rand and Annie were a few lengths behind； then came Lunk in the APC and Rook on her red Cyclone。 There were at least five Troopers in pursuit； with annihilation discs striking the cliff faces above and below the roadway。
Scott waved for the others to pour it on and accelerated along the arid slope。
Rook pulled alongside him and shouted above the deafening explosions。 〃They're gaining on us！〃 To maintain their low profile； they had opted against suiting up in helmets or battle armor。
〃We haven't got a prayer unless we can reach the Alpha。〃 Scott turned to Rand； who had e up on the inside； and told him to take the lead。 He and Rook would stay behind to armor up and reconfigure for bat。
Rand signaled his assent； cautioned Annie to hold tight； and moved out front。 But no sooner had they reached the crest than two Invid rose into view。 Rand engaged the brakes； pivoting the mecha through a clean 180； and headed back down the hill。
Scott hadn't even dismounted yet。 〃Why are you turning around？〃 he shouted。
〃They've got us surrounded；〃 Rand reported。 〃We'd better go cross…country。〃 He indicated the steep grade above the roadway and lowered his goggles。
〃No。 No detours；〃 Scott argued。 〃The Alpha's only a few miles down the road…we've got to break through！〃
Rand snorted and shook his head。 〃You break through； Captain。 I'm heading for the hills。〃 He stomped the Cyclone into gear and took off； scrambling up the rutted incline； heedless of Scott's shouts to stop。 But not a moment later； Invid Troopers were ascending into view at both ends of the road； and Scott saw the logic of Rand's choice。 He gestured to Rook and Lunk and screeched off up the hill。
There was a barren stretch of plateau at the top of the slope； separated from twin fingers of pine forest by steep crevices too wide to jump。 The Invid Troopers realized their advantage and began to loose disc storms of energy from their cannons。 As always； there seemed t